MOTU: The Return of the Count
by thew40
Summary: [COMPLETED] Part Two of MOTU: The Final Adventure triology. When Count Marzo returns, how will Adam defeat him now that he can no longer change into He-Man? Please R&R!
1. Author's Note

A Note from the Author

I hate sequels.

Don't get me wrong, of course. Some sequels rock. Some get to be famous. Check out "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" or "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back." And I'm greatly anticipating "X-Men 2" and "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers." (The time of this writing is 12-9-02) But the reason these sequels work and are actually worth the money you have to cough up to see them ($15.00 is a rip-off) is because the creators plan for them. Their ideas and sub-plots that are left open exclusively for the next installment.

That was not the case when I wrote "Masters of the Universe: The Final Adventure." When I constructed this story, it was supposed to serve as a last swan song for He-Man, She-Ra and the whole rest of the gang. You'll note that in the final chapter of "MOTU: TFA," I even stated ". . . and He-Man was never seen again" or some-such phrasing.

Of course, this was before the reviews poured in. Suddenly, I was bombarded with people that wanted to read this thing and that actually enjoyed it. I was overwhelmed to say the least. So, I began to think. "Well, should I do a sequel? The ending was so perfect, why would I want to change it? Plus, who would serve as a villain?"

Then, it came to me. A villain by the name of Count Marzo. I barely recalled him from my days plopped down in front of the boob tube, so I immediately asked for help on information at he-man.org. I learned that Marzo claimed to be very old and would live to be even older. More than that, that he was a drug dealer and a kidnapper. A true villain! This wasn't Hordak or King Hiss or even Skeletor where they were always scheming the takeover of Etheria or the claiming of the Great Towers or figuring out the secrets of Grayskull. This man went straight for the heart. He was brillant.

Suddenly, ideas began to mix around. I began to develop a plot. But I still had one problem. I didn't want it to change the ending of "MOTU: TFA." Then I realized something. The ending of "TFA" takes place ten years after the final battle with Skeletor. This story could take place during that ten-year gap. That means, no matter what happens in this story, the ending of "TFA" will remain the same!

Huzzah!

So, there you have it! The secret origin of this story!

Now, I need to tell you that I do not He-Man, She-Ra, or anything related to "Masters of the Universe," "Princess of Power," or "New Adventures of He-Man." They are owned by their creators and I gain no profit from this. Now please, enjoy the show and I hope this "story-that-takes-place-within-the -continuity-of 'Masters of the Universe: The Final Adventure'"-type sequeal is something that everyone will like!

Sincerely,

Thew40


	2. Prelude and Backstory

Prelude and Backstory

Many years ago, a race called the Zodak came to the magical world of Eternia and gave the people that resided on that planet vast, powerful technology. When they did this, they also took a group of Eternians and placed them on Eternia's sister world, Etheria. Then, they made sure that the Eternians balance of good and evil was disrupted. Then, the Zodak watched from afar to see which force (good or evil) would be dominant. While they experimented on Eternia, Etheria was left as a control group to compare to.

Hoping to right the balance, the Elders created the three Great Towers. One channeled the power of evil that came from Snake Mountain. A second channeled the power of good that came from Castle Grayskull. The central tower was to combine and balance the power. But the Elders accidentally invoked the evil of King Hiss and his Snake Men. They wanted to claim the Great Towers for themselves, but the keeper of Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress, stopped them. The valiant man named He-Ro worked with the Sorceress in sealing the Snake Men away. The Elders then sunk the Great Towers, knowing that it was a failure.

Still, though, the balance was remained undone. The Elders focused all of their power into Grayskull. And most importantly, into the forging of the Great Swords. These four swords were created by beings called the First Ones. The First Ones are mysterious entities that were able to use both magic and science to create them. The swords were then sealed within Castle Grayskull. For order was on the horizon once again.

The Elders kept the balance for many years. And then, one day, a pupil to the Elders named Hordak became interested in the evil ways of King Hiss. He turned against the Elders and joined with the ancient conqueror known as Horde Prime. Horde Prime gave Hordak an army to destroy Eternia's capital, Eternos. After years of seclusion, the Elders placed the heir to the Eternian throne out of hiding. His name was Miro. He defended Eternos against the first wave of assaults from Hordak.

Horde Prime was unsure of his agent's competence, so he sent forth Morgoth to test the meddle of Eternia. A young woman named Telana took up the mantle of Sorceress and was able to defeat Morgoth. This impressed Horde Prime, so he continued to support Hordak. 

As Hordak slowly rebuilt his army at Snake Mountain, Keldor, son of Miro, became interested in evil as well. He snuck into Castle Grayskull and stole the Swords of Darkness and Deception. Man-At-Arms Duncan and Sorceress tried to stop him. But Keldor still escaped with the Sword of Darkness, while the Sword of Deception fell into the chasm around Grayskull. King Miro, then, vanished - leaving Keldor's brother, Randor, in command. This angered Keldor and after a failed coup, he joined with Hordak.

At this time, a ship from the planet Earth crashed onto Eternia. Its passenger was a beautiful woman named Marlena. She fell in love and married Randor. Together, they had a set of twins - Adam and Adora. But Hordak and Keldor attacked and kidnapped Adora. Keldor was left behind as Hordak escaped to Etheria, where he became ruler. Keldor eventually escaped and launched a secondary coup, this time it costing him his face.

Duncan, the Man-At-Arms, claimed to adopt a young baby named Teela. In fact, Teela was the love child of him and Sorceress Telana, but she could not raise her. 

In time, Adam grew up. He never knew his sister; she had been wiped from the memories of those that weren't related to her. Soon, though, Adam was forced to take up one of the Great Swords (the Sword of Power) and became He-Man. He-Man and his allies waged war on Keldor (who had renamed himself Skeletor) for years. Skeletor was getting desperate and released the Snake Men from their prison. King Hiss allied himself with Skeletor only to raise the Great Towers once more. Luckily, though, He-Man took command of the Towers and prevented King Hiss from reaching them.

As King Hiss tried to take the Great Towers, Skeletor continued to fix his gaze on Castle Grayskull. Within the halls of the Castle, the Sorceress came to realize that Adora was alive on Etheria. She sent He-Man to deliver the Sword of Protection to Adora, so that she could become She-Ra and overthrow Hordak. Adora, though she was raised by Hordak, came to understand that he must be defeated. So, Adora became She-Ra and fought against Hordak.

Some years later, He-Man was contacted by a race from a distant planet called Primus. Primus was under constant attack from Mutant terrorists and needed his help. He-Man, though it would take him away from his friends and family, decided to aid Primus. This decision was reached when he discovered that Skeletor himself had traveled to Primus as well.

For five years, He-Man battled alongside the likes of Flipshot and Hydron against Brakk and Skeletor. When the battle was over, He-Man set his sights for Eternia. 

But when He-Man returned, he was shocked at what happened in his absence. Hordak had gained the Sword of Deception and used its power to encase Etheria in oil that would add all life force to his own. Furthermore, Hordak conquered Eternia and even signed a peace treaty with King Hiss and Snake Mountain. Hordak had also killed Horde Prime himself.

He-Man was immediately reunited with She-Ra. Together, they overthrew Hordak and restored Eternia. Etheria was later returned to normal by the entity Light-Hope. King Randor was returned to power. Adam, though, was faced with his greatest challenge when he was chasing down King Hiss. He discovered that all the battles and all of the sacrifices were nothing more than an experiment conducted by the Zodak to decide which cosmic force to be a part of.

Skeletor returned then and retrieved the Book of Living Spells. With this book, he learned of this truth as well. While the mage Orko sunk the Great Towers, Skeletor sought after Grayskull. The Book of Living Spells would allow him inside and give him to ability to absorb the power the Elders instilled in Eternia to restore the balance. In short, he would become more powerful than he had even ever imagined.

He-Man and his forces battled with Skeletor and were able to stop him by returning Skeletor into the form of Keldor. Keldor, however, used the combined Swords of Darkness and Deception to become far more than alive. In this new, scare-glow form, Skeletor was defeated at last by the combined power of the Swords of Power and Protection.

The Zodak then returned to learn of the results of their experiment. Adam forced them to see the true natures of good and evil by peering into the Great Swords. The Zodak learned the error of their ways and swore to never return to Eternia or Etheria.

A new era of peace began that day. Adam married his best friend Teela and became King of all Eternia. Adora married her old flame Sea Hawk and became Queen of Etheria.

But they all still have to learn that not all magic comes from the Elders. And even though the darkness maybe gone, the light still makes long shadows.


	3. Chapter One: Coming Together

CHAPTER ONE

"Coming Together"

The locks clanged open while old doors creaked. The thunderous clap of boots shook the ground as the eight guards walked their prisoner forward. Chains and clasps bound the purple Chimera as he was escorted towards the front door.

"You're lucky," said the lead guard. "Very lucky. If this guy isn't as rich as he is, you would be spending the rest of your life in that rotten little cell of yours."

"Luck?" laughed Chimera is a deep voice. "I do not believe in such a thing. Count Marzo swore he would free me. So, I have waited until that day. That day has come."

"Yes, it has, my old friend."

Chimera looked up and the tall, lean, distinguished Count Marzo standing at the exit of the alien prison. The guards began to unlock the bounds of chains that held Chimera. As soon as they did, the purple thug walked up to Count Marzo and bowed.

"My Count."

"Ah, Chimera. I promised to rescue you. Thank you, guards."

The guards acknowledged and walked back into the prison. "Sir," began Chimera as he stood up, "I fear there maybe deception afoot. There might be snipers in the windows of the prison."

"Hmmm? Are they? Well. Here you go, old friend."

Count Marzo pressed a small button on his wrist. In a burst of power, the entire prison exploded in a raging inferno. Marzo thundered in laughter.

"Thank you, sir. The guards were annoying."

"Not a problem. Now, onto business," said Marzo as he stepped into his ship. As it launched from the exploding prison complex, Marzo turned to his partner-in-crime.

"Yes. Business. What is this I heard about He-Man?"

"Oh. Yes. That. Well, Chimera, it turns out that He-Man and that sniveling prince Adam were one and the same. Something about the Zodac manipulating such-and-such. All I know is that the Swords of Power, Protection, Darkness, and Deception are gone. Brakk, Skeletor, Hordak, and King Hiss are all dead. And now, Adam runs all of Eternia under the banner of peace and openness. The same goes for Etheria and his sister, Adora."

"Really?"

"That's right."

"How long ago did this go down?"

"Five years ago, there was this huge battle. Quite messy. But I don't really care. All I know is that King Adam is bad for business."

"And He-Man wasn't?"

"No. He-Man was genuine. He-Man could be placed into position that I could manipulate. I learned that during those two visits we made. He was big and strong with a heart of gold. His only responsibility was to those he protected. But Adam . . . no, I'm afraid Adam is much different. He has his head and his responsibility is to the throne."

"I understand."

"Yes. So, like I said, King Adam is bad for business."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Oh, we're going to kill him."

"Sounds like a plan."

***

Bright, blue ribbons and banners fluttered in the morning sunlight. Eternos smiled as the third day of celebration continued. The birth of Adam and Teela's second child was commencing. The celebration was long - as was the labor. After having both Addison and Amelia, Teela figured that this birth would be swift. Amelia was born in less than seven hours. Addison in four. But Joshua was taking his time . . .

"Adam!" screamed Teela as another contraction slammed across her body.

Adam held her hand. Only to find that she was stronger in labor than He-Man had ever been in battle. He could practically hear the bones cracking as her grip grew harder.

"Teela - OW! - Teela, darling, it'll be - OUCH! - okay . . . ow . . ."

"NO IT WON'T!" she fumed. "YOU DID THIS TO ME! I HATE YOU!"

"Honey, it'll be over soon - OW!"

"YOU SAID THAT TWO DAYS AGO! YOU SAID THAT YESTERDAY! AND THIS BABY IS STILL INSIDE ME! YOU'RE HE-MAN! GET IT OUT!"

She yanked on Adam's hand, and the poor king felt like it was about to be ripped off. Teela clenched her teeth. Then, slowly, the contraction began to flader away.

Adam let go of her hand and rubbed his own. "Yow . . ."

"Oh, honey," she moaned, "I love you so much. Thank you for being here for me. I love you."

Adam looked at his crushed hand and sighed. "You've got a funny way of expressing it."

Teela gasped when she saw what she had done. "Oh, you poor thing. I'm sorry. Here, let me see."

She took his hand into her loving, gentle fingers and rubbed it softly. Then, in a violent twist, those same fingers began rigid and terrify as they smashed Adam's hand.

"ANOTHER CONTRACTION!"

"No kidding . . ." moaned Adam, his hand in new forms of pain. He recalled the words she told him all throughout the pregnancy. _"I don't want any painkillers. I've been raised as a warrior. I didn't have painkillers when I had Amelia or Addison and I did just fine. I'll just chalk it up to a pain-handling experience."_

His hand still ached from Amelia's birth two years ago, but now . . . this was worse. This was three frustrating days of grueling labor and childbirth all poured into this little hand. To be honest, Adam would be much happier facing an army of Skeletors than go through this one more time. But, it was Teela. For Teela, he would go through TWO armies of Skeletors just to get to this.

That's how much he loved her.

"I love you," he whispered.

"SHUT UP! THAT'S WHAT GOT US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU JERK!"

He winced as the insults came barreling at him, but Adam had long since accepted this sort of ranting for one in pain. Finally, though, the words from the doctor came like soft, loving music.

"Okay Teela," he said, "this is it! Finally!"

She pulled herself and started to push. Adam put his arm around her shoulders and her face stressed. He took her hands and felt them hurt in pain once more. But it was worth it. This was all worth it. Teela tensed outwards and started to bear down on the child within. Pain took her body, but Teela still plowed through.

"Adam . . ." she muttered as she pushed.

"Teela?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

The crying of a baby filled the room. Adam and Teela looked past her legs to see the Doctor holding up their young, newborn son. He quickly cleaned him off and bundled him off before handing Joshua off to Mom and Dad.

All three of them cried.

The Doctor smiled contently and then turned to a nurse. The nurse walked over to a door and then out to a waiting room, where Adora and her husband Sea Hawk sat with Randor, Marlena, Addison, Amelia, Duncan and Telana.

"I think you can make the announcement," the nurse grinned. "Ten fingers, ten toes, and just adorable."

Adora looked to her friends and family, then stood up and walked to a balcony that overlooked the courtyard. It was full of people, clamoring about, waiting to hear about the birth.

"People of Eternia!" she shouted with joy and a tear. "Queen Adora of Etheria wishes to convey a message to you! Joshua, son of Adam and Teela, has been born!"

The crowd clapped and shouted. Great bells rang. The sound carried into the room in which Adam, Teela, and Joshua were huddled.

"This," Adam said with a tearful smile, "this is a fine day for Eternia."

"And it's a fine day," Teela returned, running a finger across the baby's cheek, "for our family."


	4. Chapter Two: Riot

CHAPTER TWO

"Riot"

Count Marzo stood in front of the large pit and found himself a little surprised. Where Snake Mountain once towered, there was now nothing more than a gigantic gorge unleashing a huge fire. He rubbed his chin and sighed.

"I miss the snake," he noted to himself. "Oh well. Next?"

Suddenly, the environment changed completely. Now, he stood at the edge of a great chasm. Marzo had expected to see Castle Grayskull, but was shocked when he was face-to-face with a huge tower in its place. Beyond that, there seemed to be no more drawbridge nor even a discernable entrance to the green-bricked tower.

"So I suppose we should just be calling this one 'Grayskull Tower?' Next please?"

Once more, all that was around him changed. Count Marzo now stood at the entrance of Eternos. It was in its eighth day of celebration for the birth of Joshua.

"How nice. Alright, I've seen enough," Count Marzo ordered. The scenery disappeared and revealed a large, black room with green lights coming from the floor, ceiling, and walls.

"Holo-display ended," Chimera told his master.

"Good. Prepare for an attack soon, Chimera. I have some business to attend to."

***

Passing a large window, Doctor Ronan paused and wiped his glasses. He had been here for nearly two weeks, arriving by the request of Adam from Primus. Ronan was an expert in the field of psychology and had been asked to evaluate the 'evil warriors.'

He walked up to the large steel door at the so-called 'Holding Zone,' the prison for the Horde Elite, the Snake Men and whoever was left over from Skeletor's cadre of 'evil warriors.' It was not a fun task, but Doctor Ronan found himself fascinated by this. He pressed in his access code and walked in.

His patient that day was Tri-Klops. The triple-eyed enemy of Eternia and Etheria sat restrained in a chair as Ronan sat across from him.

"I kept hearing about a coup against Skeletor, Tri-Klops," Doctor Ronan brought up. "Maybe you can shed some light on this?"

Tri-Klops laughed. "When you have three eyes with three different purposes, you see things very differently. Skeletor trained us too well, Doc. We knew the forces of evil that drove us very well. And part of evil is deception and betrayal. I'll admit it. We were all planning to overthrow him at one time or another. Evil Lynn just beat us to it."

"Do you resent Evil Lynn's push for power over you all?"

"Of course, Doc, of course. But it doesn't matter. That was in the past and I don't like to look through that eye very often."

Doctor Ronan paused and looked up at Tri-Klops. "Why not?"

The villain looked uneasy for a second, but steeled himself quickly. "The past brings pain. That's something I don't need. Not right now."

"What eye do you look through, then?"

"The present, Doc. Now are we done? I'm tired of all this!"

"Of course, Tri-Klops. Of course."

Doctor Ronan saw the villain out, then looked over his notes. Tri-Klops was an interesting one indeed. So much pain, so much strength. He would be perfect . . .

***

Hours later, King Adam and Queen Teela slept soundly as Joshua was slumbering in the next room. It was late and both were more than ready for the celebrations to be over so they could move on with their lives. Sadly, though, it would not be so.

Adam awoke to a pounding on his door. He pulled himself awake from his dream and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Teela stirred slightly, but didn't wake. Adam was thankful - she needed her rest. As the pounding continued, Adam finally made it over to the door. He pulled it open and found Fisto standing there. That would explain why it was a pound on the door and not a simple knock.

"What is it?"

"Pardon my intrusion, but there's been a problem."

Adam could see the graveness on Fisto's face and therefore stepped completely into the hallway, closing the door slightly.

"What's wrong?"

"There's been a jailbreak on Etheria. A riot is going on in the Holding Zone. Queen Adora has asked for reinforcements."

Adam took a breath. This could be bad. "Wake anyone that you can."

"Already done, sire."

"Good. Then contact Gwildor. We need the gate open immediately. I'll be with you in a few minutes."

"Excellent sire."

Adam walked back into his bedroom. Teela was already sitting up, looking at him with curious eyes. She had always possessed the ability to go from tired to fully awake in a matter of seconds.

"What's going on, Adam?"

"A riot at the Holding Zone. Ram-Man-At-Arms is heading off with reinforcements."

"Are you going too?"

"I . . ." Adam suddenly paused. It had been some time since he had seen battle. But the problem was that he wasn't He-Man anymore. Nearly every battle he's fought in the past 12 years have been as He-Man. As Adam, though . . . this was different. "I don't know. Yes. I suppose I will."

He began to undress as Teela stood and wandered over to him. "Adam, you're not as strong as He-Man was."

"I know, Teela, but I am a warrior. Maybe not as strong as my former alterego, but most definitely as smart. I know what I'm doing."

"Good. And so do I," Teela told him, beginning to undress as well. Adam quickly outstretched his hand and placed it on her arm.

"No."

"Adam, you need me."

"You just gave birth two days ago. You're not up to this. Besides, you're needed her with the children."

Teela looked insulted. "What? Adam, I'm not some sort of mother hen. You can't expect me to - "

"Tonight I can. This isn't about sexism, Teela. It's about responsibilities. I need you to remain here and protect the children. You're a mother now, Teela."

"I was a mother too, when Hordak invaded."

"That was different. You had no choice. Now you do. Watch over our children. I'm worried for them."

"What do you mean 'worried?'"

"Adora was kidnapped only a few weeks after she was born, and that was during a battle. I just don't want the same thing to happen to our children. You're the greatest warrior I know, Teela, and I trust you with my most precious of all things. My children. This is not your battle, Teela, and even if it is - your role has changed."

Teela sighed and looked away for a moment. Then, she turned back to her husband. "You're right. My responsibility is here. With our children. Just promise me one thing, Adam?"

"What's that?"

"Come back to me."

"Promise."

***

After everything that he had been through with Doctor Ronan, Tri-Klops felt awfully violent. So when Ninjor managed to escape, he had coerced his old friend from Snake Mountain to let him lose as well. From there - members from the Horde, Snake Men, and the rest of Skeletor's former minions were unleashed.

It was no surprise to anyone that Tri-Klops led the riot. Especially after the quite revealing interview with Ronan.

"Bow, we're being overwhelmed!" yelled out Sea Hawk. He was carrying Glimmer in his arms - she had just received any smack to her face from Whiplash. The two of them - not counting Glimmer - were running towards the nearby cafeteria.

"Tell me about it! I'm trying my best here!" Bow shouted back in reply. 

He quickly drew another arrow as the onslaught of villains surged forth. He was a bit surprised. For years, King Hiss, Hordak, and Skeletor had hated each other and pit their agents against the other. But now . . . without their leaders . . . the agents were acting as one.

Bow, suddenly, had to put the thought of out his mind as the entire wall came crumbling down. Tri-Klops stood there, the dust and drywall crumbling down. Behind him were scores of evil warriors ready to kill Sea Hawk, Glimmer, and Bow on sight.

But before anything could happen, the entire room filled with blue light. A gate opened, and out charged King Adam - waving his family sword. Behind him were Ram-Man-At-Arms, Fisto and a number of other members of the Heroic Warriors.

As this army from Eternia shot forward, Adam spun and turned to Glimmer. She was finally coming around. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good. I have an idea. Oroko, come here!"

Meanwhile, the others were busy fighting the evil warriors. Ram-Man-At-Arms bashed Sssqueeze, sending him right into Trap Jaw - who was notably missing his robotic arm. Indeed, many of these warriors were missing either their weapons or their had their most vital powers suspended somehow.

"Ugh," muttered Extendar as he punched out Webstor, "we're getting too old for this."

"Tell me about it," Mekaneck replied, his head dodging odors from Stinkor.

"You guys are push-overs!" Ram-Man-At-Arms yelled. He went flying forward, then, right into Tri-Klops. Tri-Klops was smashed against the wall, knocked out.

"Are you ready?" asked Adam as Glimmer stood next to Oroko.

"As I'll ever be."

"Good. Okay, Oroko, reach out and find all of the villains. Show Glimmer where to teleport."

"I'm tryin' . . . I'm tryin' . . ." replied the Trollian. "Got 'em!"

"Good! Glimmer?"

"Oroko's magic is allowing my own to lock onto all of them. I can do this!"

At that moment, Glimmer reached with her teleportation powers and all of the villains disappeared. As soon as they did, they all then reappeared inside the cells!

"They're in!"

"Oroko!"

Oroko reached out then, with his own powers, and slammed each of the doors shut and locked. They did it!

A few minutes passed, allowing the heroes to check each of the cells. Adam was tired once more, and ready to head back to the palace and to his wonderful wife.

"Well?" he asked, a little impatient. King Sea Hawk looked up at his brother-in-law with an uncertain feeling.

"All present and accounted for, except . . ."

"Except for?"

"Except for Ninjor. He's nowhere to be found," King Sea Hawk said. "We're searching the entire base, but nothing so far. He must have escaped. I'm putting out a search party."

"Use any of my people if you have to, Sea Hawk."

"Sure thing. But why don't you get some rest. It's two o'clock on Eternia right now, but it's only seven here. We'll let you know as soon as we find anything."

Adam yawned, then nodded. "Thanks. I'll see you in a couple hours."

***

Ninjor was heading south, out of the Holding Zone and the area around it - which had started to grow vegetation quite quickly since Hordak was no longer polluting the area. He had made a stop at the armory and recovered his weaponry, but he wasn't quite sure why he was let lose. All he knew was that he pushed on his door and it opened up. Something was going on that wasn't being told about.

And Ninjor was not happy about that.

He paused as he came into some trees. Something wasn't right here.

"Hello Ninjor."

Doctor Ronan appeared before him, quite suddenly, holding a small device in his hand. Ninjor unsheathed his sword.

"Ronan . . ." he muttered. "You are the one that set me free?"

"Yes. But I've been doing that for years, Ninjor."

"Why?"

Ronan paused, playing with the device in his hand. "Tell me, Ninjor, what is your first memory?"

"What? What game are you playing here, Ronan?!"

"No games. Not anymore. Your first memory, Ninjor, it's of Snake Mountain. Suddenly appearing before it, like you just woke from a dream. Finding yourself allied with Skeletor to fight a warrior you know is your enemy. He-Man."

"Shut up!" Ninjor shouted, holding his sword tighter.

"Not remembering anything, not even your own training. But it is a part of you, just as is your primal instincts. All you know is that you are Ninjor. A warrior that must fight He-Man. But why? Why? Why is this so? And why, being so frustrated, can't you strike me down?"

Ninjor was fuming beneath his mask. His eyes, though, grew wide as the form of Doctor Ronan dissolved . . . and Count Marzo appeared in his place - the device still in hand. "Because I hold the secrets to your past!"

Marzo pressed a button on his device, and suddenly everything began to grow dark for the warrior named Ninjor.


	5. Chapter Three: Troublesome Heralds

CHAPTER THREE

"Troublesome Heralds"

_500 years ago, Count Marzo walked on Eternian soil for the very first time. He had been everywhere, but had spent most of his time in the Sands of Time. It was there that he foresaw a vision._

A warrior, huge and muscular, overthrew the plans of Count Marzo. While this would not come to pass for hundreds of years, Marzo was concerned that this vision may become reality. He needed to ensure that this never happened. 

And so, Marzo went throughout the galaxy and found himself a young boy. To this boy, he gave some of his own immortality. The boy could only be killed by violence. A death by age would have no effect on this child. The child was paraded from world to world, then, learning how to become the finest warrior. Powerful and strong enough to counter the strength of He-Man himself.

After over five centuries of training, Count Marzo was proud of the boy. He named this boy - now a man - Ninjor. Ninjor's fighting abilities were so instilled in his brain that they became second-nature. But still, Marzo knew that the key to defeated He-Man was experience. He could not rely on any other experience but to defeat He-Man.

And so, Count Marzo wiped out Ninjor's memory - with the exception of his fighting skills. He teleported him to Snake Mountain, home of Skeletor - enemy of He-Man and all that he stood for. It was there that Ninjor learned of He-Man's strengths and weaknesses.

It was there that he prepared himself for that final battle. It was there that he watched for the right moment . . . that never came. He could never strike at He-Man. Marzo had underestimated Skeletor. The master of Snake Mountain kept a tight leash on Ninjor, never allowing him to strike at He-Man without his permission.

He-Man and Skeletor left then, for five years, and only returned to defeat one another. Skeletor was dead and He-Man ceased to exist. Only King Adam stands where He-Man once did - for the two were one and the same.

One and the same.

Ninjor's target had just reappeared.

"Well, what do you think?"

Ninjor opened his eyes. His vision immediately fell upon Count Marzo, who was leaned up against a tree. His entire body felt sore, but he was up on his feet in seconds. "You are the one responsible?"

"Yes. Throughout your training, I've kept my eye on you. I always thought myself as a . . . father to you. What do you think of yourself now, Ninjor?"

Ninjor sighed deeply and thought for a moment. He looked back up at Marzo and spoke quietly. "The same as I did a few moments ago."

Count Marzo was a bit surprised by this, but nodded all the same. "Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by that. In the meantime, I'm assuming you know what I want you to do next, eh?"

Ninjor picked up his sword that had fallen out of his hands when he passed out. He studied it for a second, then looked back up at Count Marzo. "Kill the King."

***

"_We're still on the look-out for Ninjor, but there's been little luck,_" Adora reported over the comm-link.

"That's not good news," Adam sighed, looking at twin on the viewscreen. "Do you need any help? I know everyone over has been itching for a chance to get into a fight."

"_No, but thanks Adam. I'm sure we'll be fine._"

"Good luck. Ninjor isn't a pushover. Plus, I've been hearing these rumors . . ."

"_Oh?_" Adora asked, fascinated.

"There have been strangers at our borders. Our cousin Jeremy contacted me this morning from the Western City and told me about these people hanging out in front of his castle. He had them removed."

"_What were they doing?_"

"That's the strange thing. They weren't doing anything. Last he heard, these people were heading East."

"_Towards Eternos._"

"Yeah. I don't know, Adora, something's wrong."

"_I feel the same way, Adam. Anyways, how is Jeremy doing?_"

"Just fine. Stuck-up as usual. I mean to call more often, but . . . well . . . it's hard to run an empire and still have time to call the relatives."

"_Tell me about it,_" Adora replied thickly, but with a slight smile.

Adam blushed with embarrassment. "Well, um, it's just that . . . uh . . . well you could call me!"

"_Oh? I don't know if I want to. You never call me, so why should I call you?_"

He sighed and shook his head. "Adora, I swear . . ."

"_Ha ha!_" she laughed. "_Gotcha good, little brother. How's the baby?_"

"Joshua's fine. Very hungry, though. Won't leave Teela alone."

"_There's an image._"

"Oh, come on now. You'll be doing it soon someday."

"_Eventually, but not for a little while, at least. Not if I have anything to say about it._"

Adam chuckled. "You might, but not your sea-loving husband."

_"Oh, the minute I get pregnant, you know he'll go off on one of his old year-long ocean voyages that he used to do before we were married._"

"If he decides to do it today, I'll join him."

"_Like Teela would let you. Speaking of which, where is the little woman?_"

"With the kids. Addison just got of school and he's anxious to play with his little sister and new little brother."

"_Nice to know all the kids are getting along and - _"

Suddenly, then, the comm-link cut out. Adora's image was replaced with static. Adam pressed a small button his wrist and contacted the Communications Tower.

"This King Adam. What happened to the comm-link with Etheria?"

"_I don't know, sire. Communications are being jammed._"

Just then, the static disappeared. A new image filled the screen. Adam's mind flashed and he recognized it immediately. Count Marzo.

"_People of Eternia!_" Count Marzo proclaimed. "_If you do not remember me, I am Count Marzo! I am currently coming in loud and clear on all frequencies. I am informing that I have returned to Eternia, though you know not where I am. And do not even try to find me. You'll find this signal untraceable. In three days, my space armada will be arriving to take over your world. You won't stand a chance against my forces. Between my own cunning experience over the centuries and my near unlimited resources, I will easily overpower you. And just so you know I'm not kidding . . . I've prepared a little demonstration. See you in three days._"

Adam snapped to his feet. "Prepare our forces and - "

Before he could mutter another word, the entire palace shook. A thunderous noise was heard. Adam ran to the nearest window and saw one of the walls of Eternos exploding. A bomb!

A second explosion roared nearby, shaking the palace with such strength than Adam had anticipated. A third one was heard, but it was little farther away.

"Adam!" cried Cringer, bounding over.

"Cringer! It's alright!"

"No! I hear a sound! It's like a clock ticking - "

That was when a fourth explosion ripped through Eternos. The room that Adam and Cringer were sharing filled with fire and debris, causing Adam to shot back. He and Cringer grabbed onto each other as the explosion roared across the room.

Adam shook some sense into his head and looked over to Cringer. The old tiger appeared safe. He glanced up and saw an untouched corridor off to the left side of the room. The fire was roaring, but it didn't seem to spread too much. Not yet at least.

"Come on, Cringer, let's go find Teela and the kids."

Just as they were about to exit the room, there was a loud clatter from behind. Adam spun around and found Ninjor standing a top a large portion of the ceiling that had crashed down. At his feet was Adam's family sword.

"Fight."

"No."

"I was trained to kill He-Man. I'll have to settle for you. You're my only target, Adam. But if you deny me, I'll kill you and your family. There is no honor in that, but they are my instructions."

"And who gave those instructions?"

"Marzo."

Adam grimed. Ninjor kicked his sword over to him and Adam picked it up. "Cringer, go find Teela and the children. Make sure they're safe."

"But Adam . . ."

The King of Eternia looked back at his most dearest of friends. "Please, Cringer. Make sure they're safe."

The large cat grumped, but then leapt over to the corridor and then rushed over and tried to follow Teela's scent through the smoke and fire.

"A good move," Ninjor said, lifting his sword out in front of him, his other hand hovering behind.

"I'm only doing this because I have to," Adam replied, holding his sword straight out. "You'll have to excuse me, though, it's been a while since I've kicked someone's ass."

Ninjor smiled beneath his mask. "I spent nearly 500 years training how to kill He-Man. I can handle a watered-down version of him."

It was then Ninjor shot into action. His blade swung through the air, coming right towards Adam. The King, though, blocked the move. Just as he had, Ninjor was able to move himself against Adam. A kick quick to the leg caused Adam to lose a bit of his balance. But still, his sword pushed him off of Ninjor.

Ninjor pulled back, then pushed forward. Adam got a kick to the chest. He was getting tired of this, though, and lunched his sword at Ninjor. Ninjor blocked it, but Adam was putting a lot of pressure on it. A few seconds of laying on this pressure and Ninjor dropped the sword from his hand.

Adam was about to deliver a punch to Ninjor's head, but was unable to. Ninjor unleashed five shirukens into the air. Four of them hit Adam's leg. Adam let out a shout as blood began to soak his pant leg. Ninjor, though, wasn't through.

He launched himself forward, kicking Adam right in the gut - then followed through with a kick in the chest and the face.

Adam stumbled back, but wasn't quite done with the masked warrior. As he stumbled backwards, his right leg - his good leg - shot out and kicked Ninjor in the gut. Adam used his own momentum to punch Ninjor in his head, then jabbed at his neck. Ninjor tried a punch, but Adam deflected it.

Once more, Adam used his momentum to ram the palm of his hand against Ninjor's chin. His head snapped back, allowing Adam to knee him in the gut.

That was when Adam realized something. Ninjor was holding back. Why was he holding back?

Adam, feeling the need to end this, snapped at Ninjor's legs. He fell to the ground and Adam yanked out his sword. He held it right above Ninjor's neck.

"You were holding back. Why?"

Ninjor brought his hand up and removed his mask. "Because there is no honor is this fight. This is only a duty. An order. Given out by a man that has no respect for balance or honor, or even duty. He has manipulated my life for 500 years. He must be stopped."

"How can I trust you?"

"You have your sword to my neck. I give my life to you. I vow to you I will stop Count Marzo." There was something in Ninjor's eyes that caused Adam to rethink everything he had known about Ninjor. This man often times cited honor when attacking He-Man or the others. Something about this felt very right.

Adam lowered his sword. "I believe you."

Ninjor got to his feet. "Thank you. My life is yours now."

Both of them, then, looked over at the fire. Water began to spray on it, steam filling room. As it began to pass, Adam half-expected Ninjor to be gone. He wasn't.

"Adam!" shouted Teela, who came rushing into the room. "Are you okay?! You're bleeding!"

"I'm fine, Teela," Adam assured her. "The children? Are they okay?"

"Yes. They were out in the courtyard."

That was when Ram-Man-At-Arms, Snout Sprout, Roboto and Man-E-Faces entered. "King Adam! What has this cur done to you?"

"Vowed his life to me and to the defeat of Count Marzo."

"Your orders, sire?" asked Ram-Man-At-Arms.

"Send word out. Assemble the leaders of the people of Eternia. It's time to prepare for war."


	6. Chapter Four: Alliances

CHAPTER FOUR

"Alliances"

"We made an agreement," Adam said as members from the many different peoples of Eternia followed him into the throne room. "After Skeletor was defeated five years ago, we agreed that if Eternia is threatened once more on a planetary level, we shall all stand together."

"Avion stands with Eternos, Adam, that you know," Stratos replied.

"And so do the Insectiods. We have not been let down by your service to the world," Buzz-Off followed up.

A Troll from Darksmoke, who spoke in the name of new Dragon king Epoch, grunted. "Granamyr may have bound us together with you fools, but that doesn't mean we should follow everything you say."

"I agree with Grimm," said the Treeperchaun named Tullamore. "Skytree says nothing of this. All the great tree has said is that we must ally ourselves with Eternos for our protection. Just as he ordered us into the Hidden Realm when Hordak attacked. For our own protection. We are peaceful people, King Adam, but we are defensive when we need to be. We will stand with you, but we must have a plan we are ready to agree upon."

"We have yet to hear from the Bear-people," said King Paw's son and now ruler, King Felinus. "It is of a concern to us."

"The Bear-people didn't sign the agreement with us for some reason," Adam returned with a heavy sigh. "Though I don't know why. But that doesn't matter today. What matters is that we stand together."

"And we do," Mer-Man said suddenly. "Our peoples are the only hope for Eternia."

"Not necessarily," came a husky female voice. The entire group looked towards a window and found a tall, trim woman standing there. She was dressed in light, black clothes, but had a tumbling white hair coming across her shoulders.

"Evil Lynn?" wondered Mer-Man.

"The name's just Lynn now, fishy. And I have brought news."

All of them stepped onto a balcony, which held a number of chairs in a circle with a small table in the middle. They all took their seats, eyes on each other as they did. Adam took a breath and nodded.

"What is it you wanted to share with us, Lynn?"

"I've been keeping an eye on Count Marzo, Adam," she replied. She brushed a stray hair behind her ear, then began to sway her fingers about. An image appeared above the table. "Count Marzo has taken up many alliances in his long lifetime. His armada is made up of ships gathering from at least seven different species across the stars. I expect you have the current course projections?"

Adam nodded. "He'll be landing here, at Eternos."

"The most heavily populated area of all Eternia," noted Stratos.

"It is here we shall make our stand. Our finest warriors must be able to meet the enemy and defeat it easily," Mer-Man stressed.

"There is something else," Lynn said. Adam looked at her and found himself noticing how less-pale she appeared. Overall, Lynn was looking far healthier than he had ever seen here. It was kind of a shock, but he realized that she must have begun to study the light arts, putting the dark ones behind her. 

"What is it?" asked Tullamore.

"His plans. After he got his armada together, he freed his henchman Chimera. He's after something here on Eternia."

"Do you know what, exactly?"

"An artifact known only as the Gardener's Stone."

"Excuse me?" asked Grimm. "What in the name of Granamyr is that?"

Lynn sighed. "It's a stone that can turn any sort of surface into fertile land. It's been hidden for centuries, but I believe he has found its location."

"So, what's he going to do with it?"

"While Chimera and the space armada destroy the leaders of Eternia, Marzo will keep the populace around as slaves," Lynn explained. "He'll use the Gardener's Stone, then, to turn all of Eternian soil into fertile soil. He plans on turning our world into a harvest planet."

"For what?" asked Grimm.

"Black Flowers, mostly, but probably some other narcotics as well," Lynn told him. "To which he'll sell to unsuspecting rulers and planetary overlords. They'll ally themselves with him or pay him far too much money. He'll start his collection on planets starting with ours."

"Wonderful," sighed Stratos.

"We'll start to gather forces, then," Adam told them. "If you're with me."

"It seems we have no choice," Grimm muttered.

"Good. Let's get started."

***

"Thanks for all the help, Duncan," Ram-Man-At-Arms told his old friend. "Some of this more science-y stuff I just can't figure out."

"Oh, it's no problem, Ram-Man, er, At-Arms," Duncan replied, adjusting some of telescopes. "There we are. By the Sorceress, there's a lot of them."

"That armada?"

"Yeah. I don't know how we're going to do this. Beat them all, that is."

Ram-Man-At-Arms slammed down onto one of the chairs and shook his head. "I dunno why Adam made me the new Man-At-Arms, Duncan. I mean, I don't anything about this stuff. All I've really been doing anything other than training people."

Duncan turned to his old friend. "What do you mean?"

The giant hero looked over, a sad look upon his face. "I mean, you were the greatest ever. When Randor, He-Man or anyone needed you to make something, you wiped it up under ten minutes. No matter what it was, you had for them. I don't have that. I wish I did, but I don't. And Adam's been very understanding about that. But now . . . now he needs me more than ever and I don't know what to do. I can't make anything. All I can do is smash into things."

"Ram-Man, listen," Duncan said, sitting down next to him, "you've got a good head on your shoulders."

"No kidding, Duncan. That's what I smash with."

"That's not what I mean. Your legs are like hydraulics, Ram-Man, and you certainly know how much pressure to put on them. Not to mention the fact that you know at what angle to smash things at. These aren't things to be taken lightly. Alright, so you don't know how to build a time machine or a toaster of something. But you know how to attack things. You know how to angle something. You know how to situate something to where it needs to be. You can do this, Ram-Man-At-Arms."

Ram-Man-At-Arms looked up at Duncan grinned a little. "Thanks Duncan. You're a good friend."

"I try."

***

Adam was still trying to get used to calling Teelana by her real name. Ever since he had met the woman, she had always been the Sorceress. But now, even without the wear that she had given up five years ago, he still fought it.

Luckily, he remembered it when she came to join him that evening. "Adam."

"Teelana. I'm glad you and Duncan came. We needed your help."

The two hugged, then released. Teelana smiled at her son-in-law. "Adam, there is something we must discuss."

"Is it a sure fire way to prevent out planet from becoming Count Marzo's backyard?"

She smiled a little, then nodded. "Yes. You see, Adam, there are many legends that drift back and back . . . before our Age, and even farther back. Before the Zodak came to Eternia. Before the Council of Elders. Before, even, the reign of the Energy Beast. Back to the foundations of Eternia.

"One such legend is that of a group of stones, created to embody the elements of all Eternia. These stones were scattered across Eternia, never before seen again. The Gardener's Stone is one of them - though it knows many names. Count Marzo knows its location and he will have it."

"What can I do to stop him?"

"Your spirit is strong and full of power, so I will tell you this. There is another stone that can be used against Count Marzo. It is the only stone to which I know the location of."

"What stone is that?"

"The Stone of the Phoenix."

"The Phoenix?"

"It can manipulate life, death, and re-birth."

"But the binds of death have been cut from Count Marzo. I can't kill him."

"No. Death does not sway upon him . . . but life and re-birth do."

Adam felt a smile creep upon his lips. "Where is this stone?"

"North. In the heart of the Vile Jungle. This compass will guide you. But be warned, King Adam, there are many forces working against at all times. This journey will be very perilous."

The king of Eternos sighed, but he knew what he had to do. What was facing him out there, it must be faced and brought down. He had no other choice.


	7. Chapter Five: Doing the Impossible

CHAPTER FIVE

"Doing the Impossible"

Two days before Count Marzo promised his attack, Adam stood at the gates of Eternos, leaning up against a Road Ripper.

"I'll be back by the time Marzo shows up," Adam promised to Teela, who was holding his hand.

She smiled at him. "Don't be late. We don't want to start the party without you."

Adam laughed a little and pulled his wife closer to him, feeling her warm body next to his. He kissed her forehead and smiled at her. "I love you, Teela."

"I love you too," she answered quickly.

Adam then turned to Addison, then, and patted the eight-year-old on the head. "You keep good care of your mother while I'm gone, won't you?"

Addison smiled, a vacant spot appearing where he lost one of his teeth. "Yes sir!" he yelped gleefully.

"Daddy? Where you goin'?" asked Amelia, hugging her father.

"Off to save the planet, sweetie."

"Okay, Daddy, I love you."

"I love you too," Adam replied before turning to the newborn Joshua. He kissed his son on the forehead. Finally, he kissed Teela full on the lips.

"Good journey," she whispered.

He hopped onto the Road Ripper and took off into the sunset.

***

Ram-Man-At-Arms sat in front of the computer monitors, trying to figure out just what to do about the impending forces from space. Despite what Duncan had told him, he was still feeling awfully low about knowing that he couldn't help the way Duncan used to. He could do nothing more than smash things, couldn't he?

"And they're just gonna smash us," he thought. "Just like he . . . wait a minute . . ."

Why would Marzo warn them that he was coming to attack other than to . . . gather all of the greatest warriors together and smash them at all once? Then . . . to stop Marzo from smashing them, Ram-Man-At-Arms needs to smash them first. But how could he do that?

He couldn't. Ram-Man-At-Arms knew that. But who out there could? Not Zodak. Stondar and Rokkon haven't been to Eternia in years, plus they pretty much betrayed everyone's trust. But there had to someone out there that was space capable . . .

"I GOT IT!" Ram-Man-At-Arms shouted, snapping his fingers. "Computer: activate the comm-links. I got me an idea!"

***

Dust and dirt shot into the air as the Road Ripper tore across the Fertile Plains. Adam's mind was racing, and so was his vehicle, luckily. He would reach the Vine Jungle by dawn.

He was tired of this, but he wasn't quite surprised that someone would try to take over his planet once more. Ever since the defeat of Skeletor, Adam felt ready for this. That was why he never disbanded the Defenders. That was why he created the alliance between the major peoples of Eternia.

That . . . and he was making up for his sudden lose of He-Man form. As He-Man, Adam was more than ready to jump into battle. But now, without that ability, Adam felt useless. And as strong as he was, Adam could never - ever be as strong as he once was as He-Man.

Part of him felt useless and lazy. Unused and strange. There was a lot of himself that he put into He-Man, but now . . . now he couldn't. His life had changed so much since he gave up the Sword of Power. More than he was willing to admit.

Just then, Adam could see a faint blue light emanating from the compass that the Sorcer - that Teelana had given him. He was close. Adam barely even noticed it, but it was dawn now and he had entered into the Vein Jungle an hour ago.

He paused and began to slow down the Road Ripper. It was struggling with all the vines that he was running into. Adam came to a stop and stepped off of it, holding the compass up in his hand. Before he set off into the heart of the jungle, however, he pressed a key that cloaked the vehicle from sight.

Then, he went on through the hot and humid jungle.

For hours on end, he walked. He had to avoid the random snake or bird. The number and amount of insects was also disconcerting. About noontime, he paused for a quick lunch. But as soon as he had out the packet, he saw a few skittering creatures running in and out with his apple.

He sighed, finished the rest of his sandwich, took a quick swig of water, then marched on. The warmth was getting to him and he was forced to drop his cape behind him to also mark his trail.

The compass continued to glow as he walked north. His feet were hot and sweaty from the march and his mouth was dry. But it seemed that no matter how much water he drank, Adam stop his lips from becoming parched.

The terrain wasn't helping much either. The trees were growing thicker, with the underbrush becoming wilder and wilder. Vines stretched all around, usually holding hundreds of insects or other such creatures. The ground was very much becoming unstable. Rocks and large hills were consistently making things hard on him.

Adam was exhausted, and just wished it was all over. That he would reach his destination and be done with it.

Suddenly, Adam found himself staring at the compass. It was blazing blue and his eyes hurt from his constant gaze. But try as he may, Adam could not pry his eyes off it. He continued to walk - or stumble - towards north.

Then, suddenly, Adam tripped over a rock and found himself facing dirt. He looked up then and saw a huge grouping of rocks. They were all in a circle, sticking nearly eight feet into the sky and coming out of the ground at different angles.

Adam pushed himself to his feet, compass still in hand. He walked through two of the rocks and found himself staring at quite an interesting sight. There was a small tree growing out of the ground. It was only a bit higher than the rocks, but he hadn't noticed it before.

This tree, though, was thin and it was growing on and around a small pillar. On the top of this pillar was a statue of a burning bird - wings out stretched and bounds with branches from the tree. Adam stepped forward, opening the hand that held his compass.

The compass, then, flashed a blue light. The bird - a phoenix - glowed red hot. Adam stood mesmerized by this. And then - a beam of light shot from the phoenix and it held him mid-air. That was when everything around King Adam began to fade into white . . .

***

Chimera grinned as he walked on board the bridge of his ship. He was so happy that Count Marzo allowed him to take command of the invasion armada. Chimera had been promised the Mystic Mountains when this was all through. He had always admired the Mystic Mountains. Big and strong - just like him.

"Sir," said a robot the left, "we're detecting some sort of time/space warp. I'm getting you a visual."

A strange, purple energy appeared. It was circling in space. Then, suddenly, it flashed and a ship appeared in front of them.

"We're receiving a message," reported the same robot.

"Okay. Let's see it."

The image of a man appeared - he was dressed in all green and wore a glass dome over his head. "My name is Hydron of Primus. Your invasion fleet is currently on course to a planet that has allied us in past times. You are ordered to stand down."

"Never! You are only one ship!"

"Fine. Have it your way," Hydron replied. "Flipshot, close comm-link."

The image disappeared, once again replaced by the swirling warp. The swirling warp, then, began to flash once more. This time, it deposited dozens and dozens of ships that shot forward, engaging the armada swiftly.

***

_"Who is this one?"_

"His blood is bastard blood. He is a king, but his blood is mixed with off-worlders. Zodak be cursed, this is what we have come to?"

"I sense great strength in this one. He is the one that possessed the Sword of Power. He is worthy."

"He is not worthy. The Elders were fools to ever trust the royal blood line Eternos."

"He is worthy. My word is bound to him now."

"Then let the phoenix chose who it may . . ."

Adam eyes opened slowly. He was expecting to see someone there - two someones, actually - but he was alone. Left in the same spot - in front of the statue and the tree. He stood up and reached for the statute.

As soon as his hands came upon it, both the tree and the statue burst into a wild flame. The fire twisted and turned, spinning and changing. Then - it vanished completely. Ash from the statue and the small remains of the tree were all that remained.

Adam leaned in close, trying to figure what was going on. But once more, there was another flame. This one swept across both the ashes and the tree trunk. The fire swirled, then, and became a small stone with the phoenix simple on it - looking the same way the statue and tree did when he first arrived.

The king of Eternia picked it up and suddenly realized what he could do with it. He had the key to defeating Count Marzo - forever!

With strength renewed more than he had ever had before, Adam rushed through the jungle, and towards the Road Ripper. As soon as he sat upon it, he shot towards Eternos.

***

Ram-Man-At-Arms grinned as Hydron reported back the latest news - the space armada had been crushed and the lead ship was forced to surrender. After closing up the comm-link, he entered the main throne room, where everyone has waiting for his report.

"They did it!" he shouted with a broad smile.

"Excellent," Buzz-Off sighed. Stratos, Tullamore, and the others nodded in agreement.

Lynn, who was leaning up against the wall, looked toward Queen Teela as she sat upon her throne. "It seems all we have to do is find Count Marzo and stop him before he can find the Gardener's Stone."

There was an explosion then and one of the walls crumbled beneath it. As the smoke and debris passed, Count Marzo appeared. Around his neck was a stone that portrayed a flower growing from dirt. In his hands were a sword and gun.

"Stand down!" he shouted immediately.

"He has the stone! Stop him!" yelped Lynn.

Marzo was about to fire his gun as her, but five shirukens shot through the air, slicing right through the weapon. Everyone looked up too see Ninjor flip down in front of Count Marzo, sword unsheathed.

"It's over now, Count."

"It's never over, Ninjor. Not for me, at least."

Two swords swung through the air, smashing against each other with a loud clang. Count Marzo recalled, suddenly, giving Ninjor that sword. It was after is raid on a planet he couldn't even remember. It had belonged to royalty. And now the bearer of that sword was using it against him.

Marzo felt a strange fear in the back his head. He couldn't be killed, but Ninjor had trained for so long to kill He-Man. Ninjor was skillfully more superior than He-Man and He-Man was just plain stronger than Count Marzo. And since He-Man was the one responsible for Ninjor's creation . . . could it be that this is how He-Man defeats Marzo? Through a system of reactions? What a cruel joke!

"Pay attention, old man," Ninjor told Marzo, his sword gaining a upper lift.

No, Marzo inwardly countered as he parried against a thrust. I'm better and stronger than this. Fate and destiny do not effect me. I am Marzo, Count of . . . he couldn't remember. But it was his title. The one he had when given the secrets of forever life.

Forever life. He could not die. Ninjor, though, could.

With a regained confidence, Count Marzo pushed strongly against Ninjor's blade. Then, he spun the sword forward and around, slashing Ninjor's hand. Ninjor's sword fell from his hand. Count Marzo swept in, then, cutting across both Ninjor's legs.

The masked warrior fell to the ground. Count Marzo held his sword just at Ninjor's neckline, about to strike, when . . .

Ninjor shot a shiruken at Marzo's shoulder, sending the Count staggering backwards. Ninjor then thrusted up, snatched up his sword up and slammed right into Marzo's chest. Straight through his black heart.

Count Marzo gasped, the cold steel penetrating his skin. He staggered and stumbled back, in agony beyond any compare . . . and then he started laughing.

"I . . . can't . . . die!" yelled Count Marzo. He grasped the sword and pulled it out from his chest, his heart ripping to shreds. His heart . . . that already started to heal and beat once more. For the pain, he yanked out a long-stemmed Black Rose and sniffed it.

"Good move, fool," Count Marzo said, then. He threw his sword straight at Ninjor. Ninjor shoved himself out of the way, the sword slamming right into a pillar.

Right next to Adam.

"Adam!" gasped Teela.

"It's over with, Marzo. I have the one that can end this."

Count Marzo wiped the blood from his chest. "You can't kill me, Adam. Ninjor has just tried that and it didn't work. You can send me away, but I'll just keep on coming back. I will spit on your grave, King Adam. You're not He-Man. You're a stupid, blond fool."

Adam lifted up the Phoenix Stone. "You're right. I'm not He-Man and you can't die. But this stone . . . it manipulates life and re-birth. Both of which do, indeed, affect you."

"What?"

There was sudden burst of flames from the stone. The flames focused, then, into a beam that slammed into Count Marzo's chest. He was thrown back against the wall until the flames finally - finally - subsided.

"What did you do to me?"

Adam walked over to him and ripped the Gardener's Stone off, tossing it over to Teela. "I changed your lifeline. You're going to regress right to the point of when your cells first decided. You're going gestate for 900 years, then you're aging will be slowed. It'll take 100 years for you to grow one month. Try and think about the time you've wasted while in the womb, huh? Then do something about it after you're born."

"Noooooooooooooooo!" yelled Marzo. But it was too late. Energy began to wrap around his body, then he disappeared . . . reappearing into the womb of woman's body. His first two cells had just divided . . .

Adam turned to the others. Mer-Man, Teela, Tullamore, Grimm, Felinus, Ram-Man-At-Arms, and the others.

"He was right," Adam told them. "I'm not He-Man anymore. But as long as I have people around me who care about me and care about each other, there's no need for him."

Adam reached over to Teela and held her tight. "Welcome back, hero," she said with a kiss.

"This is where I belong, Teela. This is my home."


	8. Afterward

Afterward

Well, there you go. What'd you think? I didn't like it that much, to be honest. But don't worry! There's hope! I know what you're all thinking: "what's that crazy W-fella up to now?"

I've been a lot of thinking, you know, and I've started to develop some brand-new ideas. How would everybody feel to a full, all-out sequeal to "MOTU: The Final Adventure?" I've been really thinking about this and I'm going to do it.

A good warning, though. There will be new, original heroes and new, original villains. I promise and swear upon a stack of MOC He-Man action figures that this will not be a "Mary Sue"-fest. There will be no emulating. These characters will exist logically beside our regular cast.

Plus, you don't even necessarily need to read "MOTU: TFA" or "MOTU: TROTC" to read this ficcy. So, look for this soon! Also, keep an eye out for a more Revised Version of this story. I just wanted it out here so I could have the chance to let you know of some of the concepts that we'll be exploring in this new project. So, get ready for something new!

Take care and thanks for reading this story!

~W~


End file.
